Before we all load up on Super Bowl food, let’s take a break and have…a smoothie.

My mom has years of experience as an oncology social worker, and is a big believer in mind-body medicine. She’s also—wait for it—a very healthy eater, and she never walks through my house on the first day of her visit without carrying a bag of cruciferous vegetables and colorful fruits. During her last visit to the ranch a couple of weeks ago, she got my girls hooked on eating smoothies for breakfast. They’re now addicted and make them regularly.

So much better than Cocoa Puffs!

I think.

Don’t tell my mom I said that.

Here’s one smoothie we made while she was here.

Delicious blueberries.

Scrumptious raspberries.

Sweet, succulent grapes.

Fresh cut-up pineapple.

Gorgeous strawberries.

Cut up apple.

And yes. A little banana. I still contend they’re from the devil, but I will say that if less than half a banana is used, I really can’t detect the flavor at all.

Use 3/4 of a banana and it’s a whole different ballgame.

I cringe.

Yogurt. Any kind will do, but my mom likes the Greek stuff. I can’t get Greek yogurt (yet) at our local grocery store, though, so I’d tend to use plain, unsweetened yogurt instead.

This is totally optional, but if you’re wanting to have the smoothie for breakfast, it just adds a little more nutritional heft to the picture. Or you can substitute protein powder or any kind of supplement powder you might have on hand.

Begin by layering fruit in the blender. Oh, and you’ll notice that the fruit doesn’t need to be perfect and flawless! Smoothies are a great way to use up bruised or banged up fruit.

Layer…

Layer…

Layer. And leave the stems on the strawberries!

Why?

Because my mom said.

After you get all the fruit layered in the blender (and I’m just going to pretend I don’t see that banana)…

Add the yogurt…

A little milk…

(Note: You can use fruit juice instead of milk at this stage, but I like the creaminess.)

And the powder, if you’re using any.

You can also add a little honey for some added sweetness if you have an overactive sweet tooth like some people around here.

Top off the whole thing with some ice. It’ll give the smoothie more of a milkshake consistency and will ensure that it’s ice cold.

Throw on the lid…

Then HANG ON!

Keep your hands and feet away from the blender.

Yum…

Yum…

Yum.

This good-sized blender, packed with ingredients, served a good four to six humans.

This is a straight-up fruit smoothie, and there’s no limit to the combinations you can add: mangos, blackberries, peaches…the list goes on. But things can get really interesting when you add vegetables with the fruit. Anything from spinach to carrots add not just extra nutrition, but some very interesting color results. Have fun with it!

If you’re a smoothie aficionado, feel free to list your favorite ingredients—or recipes—here in the comments.

Today, it’s about smoothies.

(Tomorrow, we’re back to wings and potato skins. Game day is almost here!)

728 Comments and 158 Replies

Love the tip about leaving the greens on the strawberry, never thought of that, thanks! I make a smoothie every morning. I combine pomegranate juice, flax oil, huge handful of baby spinach, low fat yogurt, and a combo of frozen fruit. As a finicky pregnant lady this is a GREAT way to get some nutrients into my belly. Thanks to Katie from Marriage Confessions for the spinach suggestion. I’m going to try Kale next, gulp.

This might make you cringe, but I drink veggie smoothies for breakfast! I just finished one about an hour ago and it had spinach, carrots, celery, and green pepper in it. My family won’t try my green smoothies. They barely drink the kind you make. I can’t have all the fruit that yours incorporates because the sugar level is really high. I don’t have diabetes or anything, but the amount of sugar makes my head spin. Plus, this way, I get four servings of my daily veggies all at once and I feel great!

105

Kathy On Friday, February 4 at 9:40 am

Oooo- I am so happy, I have a freezer full of frozen peaches from my tree and need to use them up. I’ve been making smoothies with frozen blueberries and strawberries. Why did I not think of this?!

Lesley Tschatschula On Friday, February 4 at 9:45 am

peach and blueberry is a DELICIOUS combo!!!

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Lidian On Friday, February 4 at 9:40 am

I like to add a bit of vanilla, coconut, or almond extract. Gives a richer flavor. Freeze those bananas or use frozen fruit to eliminate the ice. Yummm!

Buttermilk is also a great addition…fat free even though you wouldn’t think so by the name. I saw a receipe for a fruit smoothie with the buttermilk base in a magazine. I can’t remember what I added but it was so good…a slight tartness with the sweetness of the fruit I remember was de-lish.

I love smoothies and make them often. I tend simplify the way I make my smoothies. I do use bananas and you can also freeze them before using to limit the use of ice. When I use bananas with my smoothies, I just need to add a little honey or agave netcar to sweeten it a bit. I found that using almond milk is great in making smoothies and good replacement for milk, plain yogurt and just add vanilla extract. I love making mango smoothies, I’m going to try a cucumber/melon smoothie when they are season, and an almond butter/banana smoothie this weekend.

My favorite smoothie is easy peasy – and can be made with frozen/pantry ingredients. (Because lets face it….when you live an hour and half away from a grocery store, sometimes fresh fruit isn’t an option – but frozen fruit is!)

Throw in a blender and blend until smooth. Amazing! Makes enough for about 3 decent sized servings (16 oz each)

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SallyK On Friday, February 4 at 9:43 am

I thought of two things when I saw all that fresh fruit. It looks tasty and that would be expensive! I usually use frozen fruit when it isn’t in season. It’s more affordable, often tastier, and eliminates the need for ice.

I often add greens to the pomegranate smoothie and use Greek yogurt instead of tofu (I never use tofu for anything). I also make one using orange juice, pineapple chunks, frozen strawberries and banana.

Lesley Tschatschula On Friday, February 4 at 9:43 am

i put fresh baby spinach in our shakes all the time and it really is undetectable! it’s a super easy way to get veggies in. also, some other super healthy things to add in: ground flax seed, wheat germ, flax seed oil.

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Sarah Hill On Friday, February 4 at 9:43 am

Just a thought, we do frozen fruit. i freeze overripe bananas and other fruits and throw those in and then i do not need to use ice…. tastes like a mikshake, yum, yum!

Perfect timing! I JUST received the stick blender I bought off Amazon yesterday. We tried yogurt, banana, honey, flax seed, strawberry and blueberry this morning. YUM!

I really don’t like the texture of whole fruit but have never minded the taste. So the stick blender seemed like the perfect solution to get the servings of fruit and veggies without having to eat them whole.

sounds weird but avocado is a perfect addition to smoothies. it’s creamy, adds healthy fat, and has a mild flavor that complements any fruit flavor. my family loves it!

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Susan On Friday, February 4 at 9:44 am

I love smoothies but I can’t stand yogurt, so I just use the milk and instant breakfast, if I have it. I’ve put a few spoonfuls of instant vanilla pudding powder in them before too. Not very healthy, I know, but it makes it smoother and a little thicker, like a milkshake. I always put instant pudding in milkshakes, when I (rarely) make them.

I have had this breakfast every morning for over two years. And every morning I love it more. It is about 250 calories and sticks with me.

122

Michelle M'Belle On Friday, February 4 at 9:46 am

I love smoothies too. And even though my 3-bean and cheese Acapulco Smoothie wasn’t the best invention, I’ve found that I can throw any combo of fruits and leafy/crucif veggies in with yogurt, ice and honey and get a very agreeable taste.

I really like the idea of protein powder or Instant Breakfast powder added to the mix! I’ll try that when it warms up around here again. Thanks for the suggestion!

Karen On Saturday, February 5 at 5:38 pm

Three bean and cheese Acapulco smoothie! That is AWESOME!! I need to tell my kids, who won’t let me live down the infamous V8 Smoothie.

123

kristi myers On Friday, February 4 at 9:48 am

Does anyone have a great smoothie recipe that has no seeds? My daughter hates the seeds in strawberries and raspberries, and I’m trying to get her to drink more smoothie type drinks.

Susan On Friday, February 4 at 9:50 am

Oh how jealous I am of that blender. If I want to make a smoothie in mine, I have to pre-pulverize the ice chips. Super annoying and for how much I love smoothie, super sad. Alas, maybe one day the husband will let me splurge. Maybe

I use fresh and frozen fruit, carrot, zucchini, greek yogurt and a splash of vanilla soy milk if I need it. I have a vita mix and I cannot taste the veggies at all. I also use a little agave nectar if I need the “sweet”. =) Happy blending !

129

Courtney On Friday, February 4 at 9:51 am

I love fresh smoothies as well. I sometimes make them the night before and in to-go cups so we can grab them the next morning. I agree with a lot of people, throw in some spinach and/or broccoli. You can’t taste, I swear! If you don’t tell your kids they will never know.

I also use frozen fruit so no ice needed. We make our own yogurt, which is super easy by the way.

130

Katie Wells On Friday, February 4 at 9:53 am

My favorite smoothie is adapted from Jamba Juice–sometimes I don’t want a milky/yogurty texture. I freeze fruit when it’s on sale for smoothies, then there’s no need to add ice to the blender.

Orange juice
strawberries
blueberries
pineapple

Sometimes I add peaches, raspberries, mango, whatever I have, but I always have the same base recipe. It’s a great way to sneak in the healthy stuff for busy families.

131

Debbie in OK On Friday, February 4 at 9:53 am

We love smoothies here too. My DH and I have one every morning for breakfast, even in this cold weather. I started using frozen fruit instead of fresh about a year ago and omitting the ice. You can add in a handful of spinach, or zucchini and not taste it. We like to freeze our grapes when they’re getting past the firm stage because no-one will eat them. They work great for smoothies though!

132

Michelle On Friday, February 4 at 9:53 am

We use spinach and frozen fruit… no need for ice. Great way to get the kids to eat their spinach. They think it’s pretty cool to have green smoothies!

SallyK On Friday, February 4 at 10:02 am

You don’t even know the spinach is there.

133

Tonya Scarborough On Friday, February 4 at 9:54 am

We make lots of smoothies here, my kids love them. A few things we’ve learned… you can use frozen fruit instead of ice to make a thicker shake. We always freeze bananas if they’re starting to get old and there are no takers. Frozen banana make a great shake base. You can use coconut milk instead of regular milk. At our house, we’re into the recommendations of the Weston Price organization, so we use raw milk most of the time and add raw cream and egg yolks as well in order to get plenty of fat soluble vitamins. It really makes it like a healthy ice cream shake, without a ton of sugar and other additives. My kids 2 favorites are blueberry banana and chocolate banana (we just add some cocoa powder), sometimes we add peanut butter to that one too.

134

Dori On Friday, February 4 at 9:54 am

Kim B. in AZ On Friday, February 4 at 9:54 am

I love, love, love smoothies. I have one everyday for breakfast and sometimes later in the day. I use frozen fruit in mine. I think it is better than adding ice. It makes it thicker. If you let it blend a bit it will have thick and creamy constancy. In mine I put 1/2 cup frozen triple mixed berry mix. 1/2c. frozen strawberries, 1/2 cup O.J., 1/2 cup water and one scoop of protein powder ( vanilla flavored). Then blend. I also make a chocolate one with a half of banana ( sorry Ree), 1tbs peanut butter, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, sometime add chocolate flavored yogurt, and a little water. And yes, sometime I add a little ice. Not much though. I have tried putting coffee and chocolate together but I have not found the right amounts yet. Oh and that one would probably not qualify as healthy but yummy yes.:) That is it will be yummy when I right amounts of the ingredients.

We bought a Vita-Mix a couple months ago and it has seriously been the best purchase ever. It’s not cheap, but we’ve literally used it every day, mostly for smoothies, and also I’ll make soup (yeah you can make hot soup in this blender), guacamole, etc. I’ll even use it to chop things when I don’t feel like doing it by hand.

We have a smoothie pretty much every morning. We’ll use a lot of frozen fruits (I like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineapple) but will also use fresh fruit along with it (mainly bananas and apples). One of the best things about the Vita-Mix is you don’t have to cut or chop anything other than for your portion sizes. We throw whole (yes whole) bananas and apples and carrots into it. Also, if you use fresh pineapple or cantaloupe you don’t have to core and/or seed it. Which is great b/c so much of the nutrition is in the core and seeds.

I LOVE smoothies! I have one a day generally, and sometimes not even for breakfast. They make a great little pick me up snack in the afternoon when i’m waiting to have dinner. Right now i’m addicted to berries and peaches. The peaches just add a burst of delicious sweetness. It’s a great pick-me-up!

I’m eager to try one with spinach, but i’m not sure if i’ll like the texture. I’m not a fan of soggie lettuce.

Has anyone ever tried one with spinach? What’s it like?

SallyK On Friday, February 4 at 11:07 am

You don’t even know the spinach is there. It disappears.

Debra On Wednesday, February 9 at 12:10 am

I didn’t believe that you couldn’t taste the spinach but recently tried it and honestly, it really does disappear. If it weren’t for the color change you would never know it was in there!

140

Kira On Friday, February 4 at 9:55 am

I try to make a green smoothie every day, though sometimes I miss one. Honestly, I just throw in whatever I have on hand- I do keep a wide variety on hand b/c of making the smoothies, though. I add fruit (whatever), spinach (sometimes kale, too), yogurt, carrot, protein powder, and water with a few squeezes of lemon. I don’t usually add ice….but often I use some fresh frozen fruit, so it works in a similar way! So healthy!!!! My whole family enjoys them!!!!

Looks great, I always like to add a big handful of spinach to my smoothies- it doesn’t change the flavor too much (spinach is kinda sweet anyway) and it give you a good boost of iron ladies!! also big bags of frozen fruit help when fresh is not available… ENJOY!

Heather On Friday, February 4 at 9:56 am

I love smoothies! Growing up in Tampa there was a place called Smoothie King and I swear they have THE BEST smoothies! But alas, I live in Pittsburgh now and no SK around, so I have to make my own. I make one most days a week for breakfast. I am also pregnant with my first and it’s such a great way to get my daily fruits in one sitting. I want to experiment with veggies, but I need it to still taste like fruit.
Ok, so here is my current concoction:
5 ice cubes
6 whole strawberries
10 blueberries
10 small chunks of pineapple
5-7 grapes
1/4 cup fruit juice – currently welch’s passion fruit
1 tbsp of Blue Agave Nectar (for sweetness). Can use honey, but i like this agave better.
1 whole banana (look away now Ree)
1 tbsp wheat germ
*** all fruit is frozen. This makes the closest texture to Smoothie King, which is what I was aiming for.

Blend and drink with a straw. I don’t know why the straw is so important for me… but it is. Enjoy!

We make a morning smoothie too, though I keep it all fresh and raw to get the most nutritional bang I can get. We use a VitaMix and start with 2 or 3 c. water, then layer in all the fresh fruity goodness we have on hand (frozen fruit works really well to make it thick and shake -like), blend and taste….this is the end result “taste” so it’s important to like it at this point…..once it’s perfect, then add in the fresh greens….spinach is nice and mild and hides easily in the fruit! We started with spinach, only a few leaves initially, then grew to LOVE it and now add LOTS to each blender full!! Once we add in the greens, blend again til smooth. YUMMMMM!!! Green and delicious!! When we adapted to the taste of the spinach, we started adding in other yummy greens….kale, chard, tat soi, mint, collards, mustard, mixed spring salad mix, etc. The sky is the limit on greens. AND, mix your greens up throughout the week to get in a variety of fresh veggies!! We LOVE this smoothie and it’s fun to create new recipes each day or just enjoy the same old faves…..pineapple, mango, orange and spinach….Mmnmmmmm!!

Oh and by the way, the raw greens have protein our bodies can really use, so no need to add protein powders or yogurt…..

Thanks for the lovely photos….they are food for my eyes and soul!!

145

Dana On Friday, February 4 at 9:57 am

I hate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (Yes, I know I’m weird.). My four-year-old loves them. So I compromised. I put fruit and peanut butter in my smoothie. It tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (minus the bread, of course), but for some reason I like it. I make smoothies frequently in our house, but each time I make them they are a new concoction. My son loves helping me chose things and then dumping it all in the blender.

146

Niteowl Nancy On Friday, February 4 at 9:59 am

My favorite smoothie so far has been one blended with ripe cantaloupe, vanilla yogurt, and an extra splash of milk. Yum!

I’ve been starting to notice Greek yogurt at our grocery store. What’s the difference between Greek yogurt and regular?

Charity On Friday, February 4 at 1:17 pm

From Wikipedia:
It has twice the protein of regular yogurt but is lower in sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar. The straining process that takes place for Greek yoghurt (not Greek-styled yoghurt) not only removes the excess whey, but also excess sodium, carbohydrates, and sugar. The higher protein content is due to the fact that 3-4 times more milk is used to make 1 lb of Greek yoghurt than for 1 lb of regular yogurt. Most Greek yoghurt also contains live and active probiotics to aid in digestion and to provide healthy bacteria for one’s body. Due to the straining process to remove excess whey, even non-fat varieties of Greek yoghurt are rich, thick, and creamy.

Some yogurts in the grocery store are called Greek-style, which usually means they add more thickeners to make it a similar consistency, but without the benefits.

Niteowl Nancy On Friday, February 4 at 5:38 pm

I love smoothies for breakfast! Maybe not so much during the winter, but in the spring/summer they’re a delight! I love throwing in flavored yogurt, too. Yum! And maybe even some ice cream if I’m feeling really rebellious..

148

Diane On Friday, February 4 at 10:00 am

I make a cup of green tea and use it in my fruit smoothies instead of juice or milk. Frozen fruit is great in a smoothie.

149

Lise On Friday, February 4 at 10:00 am

Our smoothies are almost identical! The one thing that I do is use frozen and fresh fruit and skip the ice.

150

kate On Friday, February 4 at 10:01 am

a banana or an apple or a pear, 1/4 – 1/2 avocado, 3/4 almond milk or milk of choice, some spinach or lettuce, and honey if you need sweetness. creamy, delicious, and still refreshing.

151

Shawna On Friday, February 4 at 10:02 am

My Mom came up with a really yummy smoothie recipe last year, I would eat this every day if I ever remembered to put the yogurt in the freezer….

I love smoothies, and we make them all the time around here. Here is my little tidbit of advice, and it may have already been mentioned, but I don’t have time to read through all of the comments. Use frozen fruit. Then you don’t have to use the ice. It’s a win win situation. I keep bags of frozen fruit in the freezer (where else?) and it’s just so easy for the kids to do it themselves. And no powder or protein powder would probably be healthier than the carnation stuff…just saying…

153

yuri On Friday, February 4 at 10:04 am

Green smoothie!
For 2-3 servings:

1 apple
1 pear
2-3 stalks celery
small handful of parsley
cup of fresh spinach
cup of raw kale
half inch of raw ginger
add coconut water at the end

I’m recently first-time preggers, and fruit-smoothies have been my biggest help in overcoming my soda addiction! I like to keep it simple though; strawberries, bananas, orange juice, milk, and a little spoon of sugar. YUM!

155

MBee's On Friday, February 4 at 10:05 am

This sounds fantastic, can’t wait to try it out!

156

Tammy On Friday, February 4 at 10:06 am

Like many others, we throw fruit in the freezer as it gets too ripe to use for smoothies. For a base, i especially like mangoes, papaya or cantaloupe- they whip up super smooth and silky. Since we often buy a whole box of mangoes, by the time the last ones are getting eaten they are often getting mushy. Just scoop out the flesh and freeze it for smoothies later! Grapes are a bland addition and juicy- you’ll need less milk or juice if you use grapes. We never do ice- i don’t like the watered down effect. Never tried veggies, but will have to. My son hates bananas so if i use them i only do about 1/2 or he can taste it. We also add a splash of vanilla extract and a bit of lemon juice for zip.

157

Penelope On Friday, February 4 at 10:10 am

Ree, do you have f’reals out where you are? Their mango smoothies are to die for!

yum is right! my favorite combo is blueberry-mango-banana with yogurt and orange juice.

159

judy On Friday, February 4 at 10:11 am

I’m so glad you reminded me about smoothies….I tend to only fix them in warmer weather–which certainly hasn’t been this week! We love blueberries, and frozen mangoes and peaches. Kinda wish I had a Blendtec. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!!

160

Kelly K On Friday, February 4 at 10:11 am

I’m fascinated by these fancy blenders! I’ve never been satisfied with the standard discount store models I’ve always owned, but I figured that was pretty much as good as it got. Hmmm…will have to think about it…that would be a huge investment for me.

Anyway, like several others who have commented, I love peanut butter in my smoothies, though you have to watch the amount because it really jacks up the calories and fat. My favorite combinations are PB-banana and PB-strawberry, which reminds me of one of my favorite comfort foods, PB&J. I blend non-fat plain yogurt, skim milk, a little glob of honey, frozen fruit, and natural creamy peanut butter. Makes a great meal substitute!

161

Andrea On Friday, February 4 at 10:11 am

This looks just like the smoothie I had this morning! I like using frozen fruit for convenience-sake, and i think it helps with consistency.

I have smoothies for breakfast every morning!!!! Love them!!! I could not wait to get back to having them after I had to be on a liquid diet for a week prior to surgery. That first one after surgery tasted sooooooooooo good after a week of chocolate sludge!!!! I always add a bit of peanut butter and I use orange juice. Since the surgery I add a half a scoop of protein powder as the medical people said it would help with healing.

163

Marcy On Friday, February 4 at 10:11 am

Smoothies are the best! Some tips?

– Add a handful of raw spinach for color and vitamins
– Chia seeds for the same
– Freeze all your fruit and eliminate the ice cubes
– VITAMIX! :~D

Mandy Cheshire On Sunday, February 6 at 12:59 pm

AHA! I was thinking of throwing in Chia seeds. Glad to know you’ve had success with this. THANKS!

Smoothies are a great healthy way to start the day. Yours looks yummy and full of good-for-you ingredients too!

166

susan On Friday, February 4 at 10:13 am

Helpful hint! Put the softest stuff on the bottom and the hardest ingredients on the top. That way the blender will not get stuck. The heavy/hard stuff (carrots, ice, celery, apples) will fall onto the blade as it rotates.I love, love, love my K Tec blender, but cheaper one works pretty good if you learn to load them correctly.

BTW – to make great Greek style yogurt, get a yogurt strainer. Lots cheaper and you can let it strain long enough to make it thick enough to spread on toast. Yum.

mmclassics On Wednesday, March 30 at 7:45 pm

Leah On Friday, February 4 at 10:15 am

My 4 kids and I love smoothies for breakfast or as a snack. We each have our favorites and so we make them individually. Because yogurt is so good for you but can be expensive when making lots of smoothies, I’ve started making my own. I buy a one serving container of the greek yogurt and use that as my starter. It is really rather easy. I make it a half gallon at a time and it only costs the cost of the individual serving of yogurt plus the cost of 1/2 gallon of milk. Once you’ve made it, you can then just use your homemade as a starter, so it’s even cheaper. Can’t beat 1/2 gallon of yogurt for less than 3 bucks! Oh and it will keep 2-3 weeks in the frig. The best instructions I’ve found are at: http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/make-yogurt/what-you-need

Sandie On Friday, February 4 at 10:15 am

The strawberry stems are a great way to add greens to the smoothie. Spinach is great, too. As long as the ratio of fruit to veggies is at least 60/40, you will get the sweetness of the fruit and the great nutrition of the green veggies. The green color is quirky, but the taste is great! I love my Blendtec, too!!

I grew up with banana, orange juice and yogourt…and what ever fruit was in season.
these days it’s the same, but we do frozen fruit, and I often add ground flax seed at the end to add a little more ‘stick’, so I’m not hungry an hour later…

Thank you SO much for this. I am in the midst of about 6 months of dental work.. and have been saying I needed some good smoothie recipes. Every time I would go to the computer and “google” – I would get OVERWHELMED – and just go “fast food” and get something that is SO not good for me.

Thanks again!

173

nuttmegs17 On Friday, February 4 at 10:18 am

I love using my vitamix for smoothies! Lately my mix has been been (not this is lactose intolerant friendly):

I am not a big breakfast eater…I know, I know, most important meal of the day… But, I just don’t like it. BUT, smoothies are an exception! It is pretty much the only way to ensure that I’ll eat (drink) more for breakfast than coffee. (I also don’t like to eat bananas, but I love them in smoothies…something about the thickness…) Our favorite is pretty simple: a (whole) banana, broken into chunks; a handful of spinach leaves; strawberries (frozen or fresh); kefir (how much depends on how many I am making, but usually a few “glugs” – an oh so specific measurement!), or yogurt (I love the greek stuff too!); and some orange juice. The smoothie is usually very green, but it doesn’t taste “green.” And, my 5-year-old, LOVES it!! Score. Thanks for the ideas in this post…can’t wait to try it!

176

Leesa Gentry On Friday, February 4 at 10:19 am

If you use frozen fruit you won’t need the ice. In addition the cost of frozen fruit is easier to handle in the winter months in Oklahoma.

177

Mommy22 On Friday, February 4 at 10:20 am

I LOVE smoothies. I have one almost every morning. I’ve discovered that I can basically throw any combo of frozen fruits in with a few handfuls of spinach and you can’t taste the spinach. I also add at least one of the following super healthy items that I might have on hand such as: wheat germ, chia seeds, half of an avocado, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, flax meal, protein powder, green powder, etc. They help me get in good nutrition that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to get down.

178

Stephanie Luttrell On Friday, February 4 at 10:21 am

You can make yogurt at home. It’s super easy. I use a little yogurt maker, which is really just a handy incubator, that I ordered from Amazon. To make your yogurt “greek”, just strain some of the whey out for a thicker product. You can reserve the whey and use it in cooking. Also, it’s really cheap to make it at home.

AnnieInOC On Friday, February 4 at 10:22 am

Mango is my absolute favorite smoothie. I can’t always get a good mango even here in Orange County. When I can’t, I use the Dole mango in a jar. It’s sold in the refrigerated part of the produce section. Combine with greek yogurt, honey, milk and ice and it is heaven. Also makes a great smoothie base for adding other fruits you have on hand. Yum, I wish I had one right now.

181

Janet On Friday, February 4 at 10:22 am

I love smoothies for breakfast. Since I have a long commute, I usually make one to take with me and slurp as I go. I also don’t put ice in it, since it would get watered down. I use frozen fruit instead. Strawberries work especially well. For a little change, I put about two tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips (anti-oxidants!)
in with the cherries or strawberries. Yum!

I must say, though, that I’m very picky about them and never use ice. I use frozen bananas and either fresh or frozen fruit. This way I don’t have to use much milk. I either add yogurt or freeze pudding in ice cube trays for some yumminess. Or a scoop of ice cream. Yum!

I have been on a huge smoothie kick lately! my blender has even won itself a place on the counter in my very small kitchen!
I always use frozen fruit so I don’t have to add any ice. I hate ice chunkies!
I have been making citrus smoothies lately adding grapefruit and oranges to the mix. They add a lot of juiciness and flavor and a pulpy texture that I love. I hattteeee banana in smoothies ( but I like bananas any other time) and even if its just a half,…I can still always taste it…yuck.
Yummy things to add : Kale ( blends nice and full of healthy things)
avocado ( not much flavor, but healthy and creamy)

185

Tara On Friday, February 4 at 10:25 am

I make a variation of a mango lassi that’ll pack up your tastebuds and take ‘em hostage for the rest of your smoothie-lovin’ days.

SallyK On Friday, February 4 at 1:17 pm

Marrianne Merrill On Friday, February 4 at 10:25 am

Don’t let the kids see you make it as they may run screaming from the spinach, but the OJ masks the spinach totally and it’s undetectable except for the fun and vibrant green color. Can also be called SHREK JUICE. Add an extra ripe banana for sweetness and creaminess and any other ingredients you may want (yogurt, juice to thin it out, etc.)
It’s one of our favorite after-school snacks and all the little friends we have over love it – as long as they don’t see me making it.
Also great for St. Patrick’s Day.

Your pictures are beautiful, they make me think I might even want to eat something with rasberries in it. However, I contend that Cocoa Puffs are so much easier and faster. Not a morning person and man that’s a lot of work for breakfast!

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Krystal On Friday, February 4 at 10:27 am

Thank you for posting a smoothie recipe! My 3 year old daughter HATES vegetables with a passion so I have been thinking about making her smoothies. I feel like smoothies are hit and miss, sometimes they are awesome but otherwise they are plain or bitter tasting. I think I am going to sneak some veggies in with the fruit, maybe she won’t notice (like how I hide grated carrots in her mac & cheese, bwhahaha.)

Karen On Saturday, February 5 at 5:56 pm

Krystal–my kids are 18, 14 and 12 and I STILL put baby food spinach in my spaghetti sauce!

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Anna On Friday, February 4 at 10:27 am

We have smoothies almost every day, using whatever fruit/greens/milk/yogurt/juice/flax/oatmeal is lying around in the morning, but my very favorite summertime smoothie is simple:

frozen blueberries and fresh watermelon. So refreshing!

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Kathy On Friday, February 4 at 10:27 am

I make a smoothie on workdays so I can drink my breakfast as I get ready. You should freeze the fruit, even the banana, so you can eliminate the ice. The ice dilutes it and I don’t think the blenders ever get the pieces small enough. It’s also an easy way to keep any fruit that is borderline going bad if you’re not ready to make a smoothie. Lately, I’ve also been throwing in a cup of spinach, after reading all the wonderful health benefits and no added taste doing that. I’m sure your mom would agree!

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Robin in Ohio On Friday, February 4 at 10:27 am

Thr fruit looks so delicious, but I’d like to know why your mom wants us to leave the strawberry leaves on? That made me cringe like a banana does to you!

I keep bags of frozen fruit on hand so I can always have smoothie fixens. The great thing about the frozen, too, is you don’t have to add ice. The frozen berries give it the same frosty texture without watering down the creaminess.

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Elizabeth On Friday, February 4 at 10:29 am

We have a vita-mix. Love it and use it daily. Almost always have smoothies for breakfast. We like to had a handful of kale to the fruit. Turns it green but we’ve learned to love it that way and can’t taste the kale and very good for you. Grapes, strawberries, pineapple, apple, banana and kale. Wonderful.

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Patrice On Friday, February 4 at 10:30 am

Leave the stems and leaves on the strawberries? This just made my morning! I always have older fruit to use up and yogurt on hand, so this is great! I learn something everyday from this site! TY Ree. Glad you made it home!

A blender is next on my list of much-needed kitchen appliances once I have a bigger kitchen! I can’t wait to start making scrumptious smoothies like this. What a treat for breakfast, and so healthy!

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Priscila M. On Friday, February 4 at 10:30 am

To make sure I get some of my daily intake of veggies, I through in 1cup of frozen veggie mix (any kind except corn as I didn’t like the consistency). With all the fruit, you don’t really taste the veggies

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Jennifer On Friday, February 4 at 10:32 am

We owned a successful smoothie shop for many years. Putting the ice in first makes it a lot easier. Or using the fruit frozen, as an above comment suggested, also works well. Or using frozen yogurt (not ice cream! ha ha). Some of the favorites were banana, peanut butter and a little chocolate, and a carrot and banana one. We had quite a few veggie ones.

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T On Friday, February 4 at 10:32 am

Daily smoothie addict here. I use frozen fruit and no ice. I tried to replace my regular yogart with greek yogart and it gave me the worst gas ever. So I am back to my regular yogart. After reading this, I am going to try adding some spinich or carrots to my next berry smoothie.

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Kimi On Friday, February 4 at 10:33 am

Where’s the printable?

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Domestic Diva North On Friday, February 4 at 10:34 am

We are all about smoothies here. We do the 60/40 smoothies, which are 60% fruit and 40% dark leafy greens. We use spinach or Kale or Collard Greens. As long as you have more fruit than greens (and use a little banana for sweetness), it all comes out delicious in the end. The color can be a little off-putting but if you put it in a lidded cup for kids, they will never know the difference!
Our favorites are kale, pineapple, frozen peaches, frozen mangos (if you use froz fruit you can omit the ice), a banana (or half if you are squeamish) and some pineapple juice, plus some ground flax. Yumm-o! Or Spinach, blueberries, banana a tiny bit of pure apple juice and ground flax. If you add about 2 tsp of ground flax, it is a great place to get it in your diet and no one can taste it at all!!!

Saturday, April 4: Freezer Fundamentals! While ranch work is going on outside, freezer work is going on inside! I share four more of my favorite freezer basics, which can be made into a whole bunch of different meals.